Government tells employers they can overrule GP fit notes

The Government has indicated that employers may, in principle, be able to overrule a GP's advice in a fit note as to whether or not a person is potentially fit to return to work.

The little-noticed change was incorporated into new guidance on the fit note (on the Department for Work and Pensions website) published by the Government in March and could allow an employer to give precedence to the views of an occupational health practitioner over those of a GP.